Price-change mechanism for coin-con-trolled vending machines



Feb. 16, 1960 E. PARRE ET AL 2,925,163

PRICE-CHANGE MECHANISM FUR COIN-CONTRQLLED VENDING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1954 Feb. 16, 1960 E. PARRE ETAL 2,925,163 PRICE- CHANGE MECHANISM FOR COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor dwjn Parre J'loriam. G..Wa.l:t:er

Feb. 16, 1960 E. PARRE ET AL PRICE-CHANGE MECHANISM FOR COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor (Ida/in Parre j'lorian (LU/alter if United States Patent PRICE-CHANGE MECHANISM FGR COIN -CON- TROLLED VENDING MACHINES Edwin Parre and Florian A. Walter, Aurora, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 11, 1954, Serial No. 449,118 3 Claims. (Cl. 194-55).

The present invention relates to improvements in coincontrolled merchandise vending machines and is specifically concerned with novel means adapting such machines to be adjusted readily to dispense merchandise having dilferent cash values. More particularly, the vending machine is of the character intended to contain stacks of merchandise to be vended selectively when a coin or coins of the proper denomination is deposited into the machine. A machine of this general character is disclosed in Stoner et a1. Patent No. 2,655,244, granted October 13, 1953, and more specifically in a companion Harry B. Stoner application filed May 7, 1954, Serial No. 428,293. Machines of this character are constructed to vend a variety of brands of merchandise such as, for example, different brands of cigarettes. Cigarettes in their usual package are arranged in stacks and selective means is provided to cause a package of a selected brand to be vended. Because the cigarettes, as well as other merchandise which may be vended by the present machine, frequently diifer in price it is essential for a commercially acceptable machine to embody means which will permit actuation of the coin-controlled mechanism only when the correct value of coins has been deposited. Such means must necessarily be adjustable so as to permit the machine owner to replace the contents in any one stack with merchandise of a different value. The adjusting means must be readily accessible and easy to manipulate, and further, must be of a kind that is not readily jammed or rendered ineffective as the result of improper treatment of the machine by a customer. The coin-controlled mechanism disclosed in this application is designed to accept a twenty-five cent (25) coin for the purchase of an item having the value of twenty-five cents, and to accept a twenty-five (25) coin and a five (5) coin for the purchase of an item having the value of thirty cents. The present machine embodies all of the foregoing requisites of a commercially acceptable vending machine, and it is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide such a machine.

Another object is to provide, in a vending machine, novel coin-controlled mechanism and actuating means therefor.

Another object is to provide novel tamper-proof mechanism, in a vending machine, which is adjusted easily to adapt it to vend merchandise from any selected stack of merchandise upon the deposit of a coin or coins having a value required for the purchase of said merchandise.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel coin-controlled mechanism and novel means associated therewith operable to rendersaid mechanism operative upon the deposit of a coin or coins totalling different values.

Another object is to provide, in a vending machine, a novel coin-controlled mechanism actuating slide bar, and novel means for varying the amount of movement permitted of said bar during machine operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which willappeaqas thefldescription proceeds, the invention into a coin-controlled mechanism consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully. described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purposes of facilitating an understanding of our invention, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, whenconsidered in connection with. the following description, our invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of itsadvantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a merchandise vending machine embodying the features of the present invention, and showing the outer casing removed and portions broken away to illustrate various details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the right hand end of the vending machine as illustrated in Fig. 1, omitting the coin-controlled mechanism, and easing.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the price-change slide bar and its operative connection with one of the selectively operable plunger mechanisms.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the coin-controlled mechanism viewed from the side facing the vending machine as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing various component parts of the coin-controlled mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of Fig. 5. I t Fig. 8 is a detail view of theslide element inthe coincontrolled mechanism. I

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 2. 3

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, the merchandise vending machine disclosed therein for purposes of illustration includes a plurality of merchandise rack units generally indicated at 10, 11 and 312. The rack unit 10, at the right hand end of Fig. 1, 7 includes four individual merchandise racks while the rack unit 11, at the front left hand end of Fig. 1, includes three single merchandise racks, and the rack unit 12, which is located directly behind rack unit 11, includesthree single racks. Obviously, more or fewer rack units may be incorporated in a single machine, and more or fewer merchandise racks may be included in each rack unit. It should be evident, therefore, that the number of rack units and racks selected for convenience of illus tration is not restrictive.

and match folders stored in the rack unit 12. Because these rack units per se do not constitute a part of the present invention but are embodied in a companion application, Serial No. 428,293, filed May 7, 1954, it is not believed necessary to enter into a detailed discussion of their specific structure and mounting. r In operation of the vending machine disclosed herein, a customer will deposit a coin or coins of. the required denomination in a coin generally at 13 in Fig. 5, from where the coin will pass 14, It is commonins ejector mechanism, indicated f most; vending. machines; of. this character to provide -manually engageable reciprocal plungers 15 adapted to be selectively actuated to cause the machine to vend the desirediinerchandise; The present application is, howeven. primarily.v concerned with. novel means whereby opzerationof selectediplungersis' eftectiveto vend merchandise having. one value while operation of other selectedtplungers islefiective to vend merchandise having aadifierent .value.

.In'the. present disclosure there are seven plungerejector plate mechanism 15-16, one for each rack in the rackwunitsllland 11; For the present it is sufficient toinote that'when aselected plunger 15 is pulled outwardly, after thecoin-controlled mechanism has been conditioned to permit such operation, the related ejector plate 16-is withdrawntfrom beneath the stack of merchandise=in its related racktoperrnit said stack to drop down, and when the plunger is released the ejector plate 16 will: push the lowermost package of merchandise ahead ofi it rearwardly-through a discharge opening, generally indicated at..17, inthe bottom margin of the back wall of the related rack from where it falls into a chute (not shown) fordelivery to thecustomer. The vending mechanism, that is, the rack units, the plungers and their ejector-plates and associated mechanism are enclosed within'a casing of any conventional construction, and inasmuch as this casing forms no part of the present invention;- its' details of construction are of no importance to'thezpresent disclosure and it has therefore been omitted from the drawings. It should be observed that the mechanism assembly includes a base structure or chassis, generally indicated at 18. Upon referring to Figs. 1 and 3, itiwill'be note'd that the chassis .18 is substantially rectangular in shape, and it includes a front wall 19 and atop wall 21 extending rearwardly from the front wall 19 and terminatingshort of the back of the chassis in a down- Wardlyextending wall portion 22. End walls 23 (Fig. 2) of said chassis extend upwardly and terminate above the plane ofthetop wall 21. These end walls are bridged in- -the -back by-aback wall '24 which terminates at its upper edge in a horizontally disposed inwardly directed flange-25 toconstitute support means for'the backends of the rack unit 10.

Referring particularly to'Fig. 3, the plungers 15 of the plunger-ejector plate mechanism extend through openings in the front wall 19 of the-chassis 21. Inasmuch as the specific plunger-ejector plate mechanisms constitutes the subject matter of a companion application and because they are identical in structure, only one will bedescribed, itbeing understood that the description is applicable to all andthatlike numerals ,will identify cor responding parts; The plunger 15 carries adjacent its rear" enda slidable vending assembly 26 which includes a' pla'te*-27' having a slot 28' therein in which operates a pinf29 fixed on and projecting laterally from one side of the rearmost-end of'the plunger 15. A'pawl 31, pivoted at--32'on the plate 27, is held normally by a pull spring 33in latching engagement with the pin 29. This constitutes-a positive connectionbetween the plunger 15 and the vending assembly 26, which, as will be described presently, includes the ejector plate .16, so that'when the plunger 15 is pulled outwardly during a normal vending operation, the vending assembly 26 will move in unison therewith. However, should a customer pull the plunger 15 "outwardly, without first having caused the coin-controlled'locking mechanism 14 to be released, the fraudulentmovement of the plunger 15 causes the pin 29 to earn out from beneath the pawl 31, whereupon said plunger" may be withdrawn the full limit of its normal movement without actuating the, vending assembly 26. Operation of any plunger 15, after the coin-controlled mechanismhas been conditioned to permit its operation through 'a complete'operating cycle, imparts movement. to? linka'ge structure that is operatively connected to the' -coin-controlld mechanismd ti lt' isbecause of this" 4 operative connection, between the plungers 15 andthe coin-controlled mechanism that said plungers can be operated only after said coin-controlled mechanism is properly conditioned or unlocked. Still referring to Fig. 3, the vending assembly 26, and particularly the wall 27 thereof, has a downwardly extending portion 34 apertured to receive a pivot 35 journalling a latch 36 thereon. The latch normally rests in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the end adjacent the hinge pin 35 in abutment with a wear plate 37 mounted on the inside face of the back wall 22 of the chassis 13. Upon initial outward movement of the plunger 15, the latch 36 is carried away from-its abutment with the plate 37, whereupon a tail portion 36a engages a track which swings the latch in a clockwise direction was to engage its free end portion 38 around a longitudinally extending rod 39. The rod 39 is coextensive with the chassis 18 and its ends are journaled freely in slots 41 formed in the chassis end walls 23. The rod 39 carries adjacent each end,- inwardly of each wall 23, a pinion 42 which is always in mesh with a related rack 43 firmly secured to the inside face of the related end walls 23, as by rivets 44. The gear-and rackarrangement is provided to insure uniform' rolling movement of the rod 39 along its slots 41 during reciprocal movement of the plunger 15. Such movement is imparted to the rod 39, during outward move ment of the plunger 15, by abutment with said rod by the depending end portion 34 on the plate'27. When: the plunger is released to return to its initial position, the latch 36,- engaged with the rod39, will carry said rod back to its initial position and then become disengaged from said rod by re-abutment with the plate 37. 7

As mentioned previously, the rod 39 has linkageas sociated therewith, which linkage is arranged in-two groups, only one of which need be described insofaras the present invention isconcerned. Upon referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that one end of an arm 45 is 1. The arm 45 has a pivot pin 46-thereon, over which is engaged'a slotted opening 47 in the lower end of a link 1 48 arranged vertically'and pivotally secured at its upper end to therelatedend wall 23'as by'mea'ns of pivot'49.

A spring 51, connected at one endas at 52 to the '1ink48 and atits other end to a fixed-pin 53,'normally tends .to i hold the link 48 in the position illustrated, in which position' the rod 39 is located at therearmost ends of the slots 41.

The other endof the arm 45 is'guided in a horizontal slot 54 by a pin 55 so as to insure movement of said link in a substantially horizontally plane. The arm 45 carries a rack 56 on its outside face which meshes at all times with a-toothed segment 57 pivotally mounted at" 58.' Thesegment carries, as an integral part thereof, a plate 59-substantially triangular in shape provided at its apex with a trunnion 61 on which'is pivotally mounteda link 62: Still referring to Figure 2, the link 62 extends towards the front of the vending machine mechanism and carries on its forward end a pinion 63 journaled in slide plate'64. The slide plate 64 lies in the-plane of the side wall 23 and is guided and retained by opposed channels 65-and 66- provided on said wall 23; 'During machine operation movement of the rod 39 along its slots 41 carries-the arm 45 therewith, thus imparting reciprocalro tation to the segment 57 and plate '59 for sliding the plate 64 along its guides. I Referring now to Figure 9', the slideplate '64 has, extending perpendicular therefrom outwardly of the end wall'23', an arm 67 provided on .the upper side of its free end with a roller 68. This roller engages" at alltimes in a-recess 69-(Fig'. 7) provided in oneof the elements of' 'th'e coin-controlled 'me chanism now "0 be= described. p

Referring particularly to-Figqire's "5 through 8 inclusivek the coin-controlled 'me'chanismiincludesQa plate assembly-comprising air'outside plate 'lljian intermediate-pluc asthma L land an innerplate 73. These plates are. joined to; gethen as by means of rivets 74 and 75 respectively, which entend through the platewhich they areintended to secure; Suitable means is provided in the area of said rivets to maintain the plates in spaced relationship, with the distances between them slightly greater than the thickness of the coins which the mechanism is designed to receive. In the present disclosure, the space between the plates 71 and 72 is of a size to correspond to the thickness of a five cent coin. The space between the plates 72 and 73 is of a size to correspond substantially to the thickness of a twenty-five cent coin.

The outside plate 71 and the intermediate plate 72 are each substantially rectangular in shape and the plate 72 is provided on its bottom edge (Fig. with a base flange 76 having suitable openings or other means therein to permit it to be secured firmly to afloor plate 77 constituting a part of the vending machine. The. upper margin of the intermediate plate 72 is offset inwardly to define a flange 7 8 to which is attached the coin mechanism 13.

The coin mechanism 13 is of standard construction and because it forms no part of the present invention, it is not described in detail. It might be noted, however, that said coin mechanism includes the usual magnet (not shown) for detecting fraudulent coins, and a jam-release mechanism actuable to release and return to the custorner any fraudulent coin or slug inserted into the machine. It should-also be sufficient to note that when a coin or coins is deposited in a coin receiving slot or slots provided in the vending. machine cabinet, said coin or coins will move downwardly through the coin mechanism 13 into the coin-controlled mechanism 14, When a coin of proper denomination, such as atwenty -five cent coin, enters the coin-controlled mechanism 14, it is directed into space between plates 72 and 731. In instance of a five cent coin being deposited, said coin enters into the space between plates 71 and 72.

Means is provided in the coin-controlled mechanism 14 to retain a twenty-five cent coin and a five cent coin in selected positions within the spaces between the plates. ln the instance ofthe twenty-five eent coin, there is provided; a blade 79 formed on the end of one arm of a L l -shaped bracket 3%} (Fig. 6) suitably struck from strap stock and pivotally mounted on a pintal pin 81 carried in ears 32 struck out of the inner plate 73. The other arm, 33, of the hracket 891 extends beyond its pivotal mounting and has its freeend turneddownwardly, as at 84, to lie normally in the path of the stud 85 carried on oneside wall of an inverted U-shaped pivotally mounted frame 86 Upon referring to Figure 6 it, will be observed that the frame 36 has an car 37 struck outwardly of one side wall thereof. This ear is located substantially in the path of a manually actuated trigger (not shown) operable for rocking the frame 86 and thereby rock the Ueshaped bracket 89 for carrying the nose of the blade 79. out from beneath a coin seated thereon should the customer desire said coin to be return to him without Qperationof the vending apparatus.

A bladeiig, pivotally mounted on a pin 88a, normally projects into the space between the plates 71 and 72 to provide a support for a five cent coin when the latter is. deposited into the coin-controlled mechanism. This blade is adapted to be withdrawn from beneath the coin, inthe event the customer desires said coin to be returned without a vending operation, bythe presence of an arm 89gthat proects inthe area of the car 87 so as to be acted upon by the aforesaid manually actuated means.

The intermediate plate 72 of the coin-controlled mechanisrn, has. a pair ofhorizontally disposed vertically spaced slots 59d and 91 each to receive for free sliding pavement ther n f w dly projecting enise 2 n a; re pect v ly o s dee em nt l de l n fla isc .sub an alw d h and t s, ar an ed t e ti bet e n in-a n rolled sehan szn p ateau an 2 and provided with a flange, 96 that plates 72 and 73. During machine operation with, for example, a twenty-five cent coin T and a five cent coin. F in place, the slide element $4 is free to slide a distance sufiicient to push the coins located in advance thereof into a coin receiving trough 97 formed by offsetting the plate 71 in the manner best illustrated in Figure 7.

As has been noted hereinabove, the coin-controlled mechanism is adapted to be actuated upon manipulation of a selected plunger 15 when a twenty-five cent coin T is deposited therein or when a twenty-five cent coin and a five cent coin F is deposited therein. In other words,

cents and accordingly the plunger 15 associated with said rack is operable to vend only when thirty cents is present in the coin-controlled mechanism. This selective control of the operation of the plungers 15 is effected through a price control mechanism, to be described presently, which is operatively associated with the plungers and is selec-' tively adjustable so as to adapt any or all racks to contain merchandise of a value of twenty-five cents or thirty cents and to permit the vending of such merchandise when the tioned in the presence of coins of the required denominatron. t

Referring to the disclosure of the coin-controlled mechanism best shown in Figures 5 through 8, said mechanism includes three lock elements 98, 99 and 101, Each of the lock elements is fashioned from strap stock shaped substantially U-shaped and has the terminals of its side walls or leg portions journaled for free rotation on the pin 81. The lock element 98 has a slot 102 in its intermediate or bight portion through which there is extended a cam lever 1%. This cam lever is freely pivoted at one end, as by means of bolt 164, to the forwardly projecting ear 92 on slide element 94. It has a raised cam surface M5 on one edge thereof to co-act, during operation of the coin-controlled mechanism, with an end of the slot M2. The free end of the lever 193 lies normally with its hook-like through a long slot M7 in said bridge the space between the plates 72 and 73. When a twenty-five cent coin T is received between the plates 72 and 73 and rests upon the blade 79, said coin lies be tween the hook-like portion 106 of the lever E63 and the forward end of inturned flange 96 on slide plate. 94 (Fig. 8).

The coin-controlled mechanism is now conditioned to portion 106 projecting be actuated upon manipulation of a plunger associated with a stack of the merchandise having a value of 25. Initial operation involves withdrawal of the selected plunger 15. his plunger carries with it the ejector mechanism 2.6, including the ejector plate 16, and its movement imparts forward rolling action to the longitudinal shaft 3?, which action results in rocking of the toothed segment 57 in a clockwise direction. Such move; ment of the tooth segment pulls the link 62e-rear wardly, thus sliding the slide plate 64 from the forward position illustrated in Figure 2 into a position rearwardly thereof. This sliding movement of the slide plate 64 imparts a sliding movement to the slide element 94. In the absence of a 25 coin within the coin-controlled sliding movement of the slide element Figures 5 through 8, is limited upon abutment of a leadas l 10 (F w t a. o l

e d r sh a slot in the plate 72 so as to lie in the space between contained in a rack associated with a coin-controlled mechanism is properly condi:

plates 72 and 73 so as to.

mechanism, full, 94, as viewed in' seams element 99. However, the presence of a twenty-five cent coin in said mechanism serves to hold the cam lever 103 substantially in the position best illustrated in Figure 6. It is therefore possible, as explained in detail hereinafter, for the slide element 94 to move during manipulation of the plunger 15. This movement of the slide element 94 causes the cam surface 105, on cam lever 103, to engage an edge of slot 102 in the lock element 98, thus moving said lock element in a clockwise direction about its pivot 81. Movement of this lock element per se does not effect release of the coin-controlled mechanism, but upon referring particularly to Figures and 6, it will be observed that the lock element 98 has, firmly secured to one of its leg portions, one arm 108 of a U-shaped bracket indicated at 109. This bracket extends rearwardly a substantial distance beyond the pivot pin 81 and it has its other leg 111 pivotally secured to said pivot pin at its end.

The coin-controlled mechanism also includes the locking element 99 which is a positive locking member and has, as an integral extension of one of its side leg portions, an arm 112 that projects rearwardly a distance sufiicient to' locate it directly behind the U-shaped bracket 109. It should be quite apparent that when the lock element 98 is rocked in response to action of the cam 103, such rocking movement is imparted to the lock element 99, thus causing it to move also in a direction away from the inside plate 73.

The intermediate plate has an opening 113 through which extends a tongue 114 (Fig. 8) projecting from the under face of the bight portion of the lock element 99. This tongue normally projects into the space in advance of the slide element end edge 100 and prevents unlimited advance of the slide element 94. However, when the coin-controlled mechanism is conditioned for operation in the presence of a twenty-five cent coin, the tongue 114, as previously stated, is withdrawn, thus permitting (insofar as the present description has proceeded) the slide element 94 to be moved to the left (Fig. 8) through a complete cycle of operation, which cycle includes pushing the coin ahead of the flange 96 for discharge in the discharge chute 97.

The foregoing operation of the slide element 94 in the presence of a 25 coin is conditioned upon the presetting of a price-change bar 115 (Fig. 1) which must become operative during the vending of merchandise having a value of 25 so as to release the third locking element 101, which functions normally in the same manner as the locking element 99 to prevent unlimited operative movement of the slide plate 94. Before entering into a detailed discussion of the structure and operation of the price-change bar 115 and its associated elements, refer ence is again made to Figures 6, 7 and 8, which best illustrate the mechanism controlled by movement of said price-change bar.

As illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the slide plate 94, the movement of which is limited normally by abutment of a second leading edge 110 against a stop tongue 122, has a cam arm 116 associated with it. This cam arm has a loose slidable connection with the projecting portion 93 of the slide element 94. This connection may embody a bolt 117 which extends through the projecting portion 93 and operates in a slot 118 in the cam member 116. j The cam member 116 is somewhat like the cam member 103, previously described, and it includes a cam surface 119 located to co-act with an end edge of a slot 121 in the bight portion of the lock element 101. This bight portion, like the bight portion of the lock element 99, has a tongue 122 that extends through a slot 123 in the intermediate plate 72 so as to normally lie within the space between plates 71 and 72 and in the path of said leading edge 110 to limit movement of the slide element 94.

i In the absence of a five cent coin to render the cam member 116 efiective'to rock-the lock element 101 and thereby carry the tongue 122 out of the path of the" slide element 94, no vending could possibly be accomplished upon the deposit of a 25 coin. Such vending is," however, made possible even in the absence of a five centtical pins 124a firmly mounted on and extending upwardly from the chassis wall 21. The mounting of the price-change bar in the manner illustrated locates it above the plane of'the ejector plates 16.

The price-changebar 115 carries a plurality of levers 125, one in the area of each ejector plate 16. Each of these levers is mounted on the underside of the price- I change bar and each carries a pin 126 which extends through a longitudinal slot 127 in the price-change bar for pivotally mounting it in place thereon. An upwardly extending pin 128 is mounted firmly adjacent the free end of each lever closely adjacent to one edge thereof. As is perhaps best illustrated in Figure 1, the pin 128 is adapted to rest in a selected one of a pair of associated notches 129, which notches are longitudinally spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the length of the slot 127. A spring 131 is connected at one end.

to the pin 128 and at its other end to a vertical flange 132 formed on the other longitudinal edge of the price change bar 115.

For a purpose to be described presently, the lever may be shifted longitudinally of the price-change bar 115 so as to locate the pin 128 in either one of the related pair of notches 129. Still referring to Figure 1, the lever 125 associated with the ejector plate 16 located beneath the rack 10a, is positioned with its pin in the left-hand notch of the related pair of notches. The lever 125 associated with the ejector plate underlying the rack 10b is illustrated with its pin 128 seated in the right-hand notch 129 of its related pair of notches. The positioning of the levers 125 associated with any or all of the racks in either one or the other of the positions specifically mentioned hereinabove determines actuation of the pricechange bar 115 in such manner as to permit unlocking of the coin controlled mechanism in the presence of a twenty-five cent coin. In the present disclosure, the position of the lever 125 associated with the rack 10a is such that merchandise having a value of 25 only can be vended from said rack, whereas the position of the lever 125 associated with the rack 10b is such that marchandise having a value of 30 only can be vended therefrom. Obviously the levers 125 can be adjusted at the option of the vendor and are concealed normally so that access thereto cannot be gained by a customer.

Each of the levers 125 has a roller 133 mounted on and depending from its free end. This roller lies in the plane of the related reciprocable ejector plate 16. As is perhaps best shown in Figure 4, the ejector plates have a cam surface 134 provided on their forwardly disposed ends, adjacent one edge thereof. This cam surface '134 is adapted to cooperate with the roller 133 when the said mechanism is not fully unlocked in the presence 05" asserts:

a "twenty-five cent coin until the lock element 101 has been moved into unlocking position to permit sliding of the slide element 94. Movement of the lock element 101 into unlocking position, so as to permit the vending of merchandise having a value of 25, is accomplished through longitudinal reciprocation of the price-change bar, effected during initial outward movement of a selected plunger 15 and its associated mechanism 26, including the related ejector plate 16. Referring again to Figures 1 and 4, when the plunger 15, operative for vending merchandise from the rack 10a, is pulled out wardly, initial movement thereof carries the cam surface 134 into engagement with the roller 133. Continued outward movement of the plunger causes the roller 133 to ride along the cam 134, thus carrying with it the price-change bar 115 to thereby shift said bar to the right, as viewed in Figure 1.

The extreme right-hand end of said price-change bar carries an adjustable bracket 135 secured thereto preferably by a pair of screws 136 which pass through slots in the bracket 135 to permit adjustment of the latter, should such adjustment become necessary. The bracket 135 has adownwardly turned end portion or tongue 137 which extends beyond the chassis end wall 23 through an opening 138 therein. The tongue 137 cooperates with means on the coin-controlled mechanism 14 for unlocking the lock element 101. This means includes an arm 139 fixedly mounted at one end on a pivot pm 141 journaled at its ends in a bracket 142 firmly secured, as by Welding, to the inwardly disposed face of the coin-controlled mechanism plate 72. The free end of the arm 139 has a. stud ,143 projected upwardly therefrom which lies in the path of the tongue 137 on the end of the price-"change bar 115. A spring 144 tends to maintain said stud in contact with the tongue at all times, while a spring 144a at the left hand end of the price-change bar 115 returns said bar lo its-initial position after it has been moved to the right and then released; I V

The pivot pin 141 also carries, on its lower end, a cam element 145 (best shown in Figure 7), including a portion 146 that abuts a stud 147 extending upwardly from a strip of metal stock 148 firmly secured to and extending beyond the end of the lock element 101. When the price-change bar 115 is shifted to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, the tongue 137 thereon moves the stud 143 ahead of it so as to impart counter-clockwise rotation to the pivot pin 141, which rotation causes the cam portion 146 of the cam 145 to cam said stud 147 in a direction away from the plate 72 to thereby rock the lock element 101 and carry its tongue 122 out of the path of the slide element 94. The plunger 15 may then be withdrawn its permissible distance so as to slide the slide element 94 the required distance to the left, as viewed in Figure 7. As soon as the slide plate 94 has reached the limit of its travel, the twenty-five cent coin, which is pushed ahead of said slide element 94, drops into the coin chute 97, thus restoring the cam lever 103 to its initial position whereupon, when the plunger is released to vend the selected merchandise, all of the parts in the coin-controlled mechanism are restored to their initial locked positions.

When merchandise having a value of 30 is to be dispensed, the price-change bar lever 125 associated with a rack containing such merchandise, such as the rack 10b, is positioned for engagement of its pin 128 in the righthand notch to thereby locate its roller 133 beyond the plane of the cam 134 of the ejector plate 16. When so set, the price-change bar is not shifted during movement of the ejector plate 16 as was the case in the vending of merchandise having a value of 25. Release of the lock element 101 is, however, now effected by the presence, in the coin-controlled mechanism, of a five cent coin in addition to a twenty-five cent coin. As is perhaps best illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the five cent coin enters the space between the plates 71 and 72, be- 75 the cam lever 116 and the leading edge of the slide plate- 94. It should be noted that the end portion 149 projects into the space between the plates 71 and 72. The presence of the five cent coin between said plates causes the cam lever 116 to be pulled to the left as the slide 94 moves toward the left (as illustrated in Figure 7) and causes the cam surface 119 thereon to co-act with the end edge 121 of the slot in the lock element 101 to thereby rock said lock element 101 outwardly about its pivot 81 to carry its tongue 122 out of the path of the slide plate 94. The slide plate 94 may now be moved through a complete operating cycle. After the slide element 94 has been advanced to the left in Figure 7, the full extent of travel permitted of it, both coins fall into the coinchute 97 and the parts of the coin-controlled mechanism are again restored to their initial locking positions following ejection of theselected merchandise.

It should be quite evident that although the coin-controlled mechanism, selected for purposes of association with the price-change bar, has been specifically described withreference to the acceptance of a twenty-five cent coin or a twenty-five cent coin and a five cent coin for conditioning said mechanism for operation, the mechanism may readily be altered in minor details to accommodate a coin or coins of other denominations.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vending machine comprising a plurality of columns each adapted to contain a plurality of merchandise articles to be vended, a plurality of ejector means each associated with a respective one of said columns and actuable to release an article from said respective column, locking means normally operative to prevent actuation of said ejector means, means responsive to the presence of a predetermined number of coins to render said locking means inoperative so as to permit actuation of said ejector means, and a price-change mechanism for rendering said locking means inoperative in response to the presence of a second number of coins less than said predetermined number, said price-change mechanism comprising a plurality of cams each connected to a respective one of said ejector means and movable therewith, a longitudinal bar, means movably mounting said bar, a plurality of cam followers mounted in spaced relation on said bar, each of said cam followers being manually adjustable on said bar to either an operative position in the path of movement of a respective one of said cams or to an inoperative position out of the path of movement of said respective cam, means for maintaining each of said followers in either selected one of said two positions, whereby engagement of' any of said cam followers in an operative position by its respective cam will cause movement of said bar, means connecting said bar with said looking means for rendering the latter inoperative in response to movement of said bar in conjunction with the presence of said second number of coins less than said predetermined number, a plurality of cam follower mounting elements, each of said cam followers being fixedly secured to a respective one of said mounting elements, said bar having a plurality of longitudinal slots, each of said mounting elements having a pin slidably engaged within a respective one of said slots for slidably mounting each of said mounting elements to said bar for movement of its respective cam follower to either said operative posidetent'connected to each of said mounting elements and engageable within one recess of the respective pair to position the mounting element so as to locate its respec-.

tive cam follower in its operative position and said detent being engageable ,within the other recess of said pair to position the mounting element so as to locate its respective cam follower in said inoperative position, and a plurality of spring means each associated with a respective one of said mounting elements for biasing the latter in a direction to maintain its respective detent in either selected one of said pair of recesses.

. 2. A vending machine comprising a plurality of columns each adapted to contain a plurality of merchandise articles to' be vended, a plurality of ejector means each associated with a respective one of said columns and actuable to release an article from said respective column, locking means normally operative to prevent actuation of said ejector means, means responsive to the presence of a predetermined number of coins to render said locking means inoperative so as to permit actuation of said ejector means, and a price-change mechanism for rendering said locking means inoperative in response to the presence of a second number of coins less than said predetermined number, said price-change mechanism comprising a plurality of'cams each connected to a respective one of said ejector means and movable therewith, a

longitudinal bar, means movably mounting said; bar, a

plurality of cam followers, a plurality ofmeans each slidably mounting a respective one of said cam followersv on said bar for movement longitudinally thereof either to a first location on the bar constituting an operative position in the path of movement of a respective one of said cams or to a second location on the bar constituting an inoperative position out of the path of movement of said respective cam, each of said mounting means including a portion having a slot and another portion slidably mounted within said slot, one of said portions constituting part of said bar and the other of said portions constituting partof said respective cam follower, means for securing each of said followers in either selected one of said two positions, whereby engagement of any of said cam followers in an operative position by its respective cam will cause movement of said bar, means connecting said bar with said locking means for rendering the latter inoperative in response to movement of said bar in conjunction with the presence of said second number of coins less than said predetermined number, and coacting means on said bar and on each of said followers and mutuallyengageable to maintain said follower in either of its said locations on said bar, each of said mounting means comprising means pivotally mounting said respective cam follower for movement either to a first angular orientation wherein said coacting means are mutually engaged or to, a second angular orientation wherein said coacting means are mutually disengaged.

3. A vending machine as recited in claim 2 and comprising spring meanspivotally biasing each of said 1301- lowers toward said first angular orientation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,037,462 Du Grenier Apr. 14, 1936 2,279,665 Du Grenier Apr. 14, 1942 2,320,378 Neldig June 1, 1943, 2,330,153 Steiner Sept. 21, 1943, 2,453,398 Auerbach Nov. 9, 1948 2,529,196 Stoner Nov. 7, 1950 2,655,244 Stoner Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 130,690 Sweden Ian. 30, 1951 553,113 France May 14, 1923 UNITED STAIES PATENT OFFICE CORRECTION February 16 1960 CERTIFICATE OF Patent No. 2,925,163

Edwin Parre et al It is herebj certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 51, for "horizontally" read horizontal line 59, for "pinion" read pin column 5, line 3 for "plate" read plates Signed and sealed this 13th day of September 1960.,

( SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofiicer Commissioner of Patents 

